I never thought sitting on my couch for most of a 6+ hour stretch could take so much out of me. I am certain it is the longest game I have ever watched and fortunately there was a positive payoff for this Giants fan.
After a fairly disappointing season, Brandon Belt came through in the top of the 18th with a no doubt about it shot into deep right field. It didn't go as far as Bryce Harper's from game 1 but it sure meant a lot more.
I felt there were two other key elements to the Giants win. I loved putting in Yusmeiro Petit for a long relief stretch, as our spot started he is used to putting in some innings. He pitched great and kept the Giants in the game for 6 innings when every pitch he threw could have been the last pitch of the game. An amazing pressure packed performance.
I was surprised the announcers never once questioned Matt Williams pulling of Jordan Zimmerman with 2 outs in the 9th. He has just given up his first walk but had only thrown 100 pitches. Zimmerman was dominating up to that point and I am virtually certain he would have closed out the game. The only plausible explanation is that Matty has a special spot in his heart for the Giants.
As Giants fans know, a 2-0 lead and heading home is not a certainty (remember the Reds series 2 years ago). I am hoping the Giants keep their focus and finish this thing off in the next game or two.
I'm not following this series all that closely, but last evening I turned on the TV to see what was going on, and there were two outs in the top of the 9th. I watched the game get tied up and watched the 10th, but I had other obligations so I turned off the TV.
ReplyDeleteSeveral hours later, I looked at the MLB website to see who had won the game and - HOLY CRAP, THEY'RE STILL TIED AT ONE! I think it was the 16th when I turned it back on, but my wife & I ended up watching the rest of the game and feeling sorry for the fans who stayed in what looked like a cold ballpark for 6 hours.
The game announcers might not have questioned pulling Zimmermann with two outs in the ninth, but I've seen several game recaps that cast doubts as to whether that was the right move. Brad Ausmus has also been questioned for his handling of pitchers in the Tigers' two losses; I wonder if teams looking for managers will pause even a tiny bit before hiring a guy with no managerial experience.
Madison Bumgarner going in game 3. If he brings his A game could be good for the Giants
ReplyDeleteYour DVR must have been cranking, with the SC game on at the same time! Just an exhausting 18 inning marathon....did you hear Petit's new nickname.....Senor Octubre!
ReplyDeleteThe announcers may not have questioned Zimmermann's removal but the whole damn rest of the world certainly did. I am verrrrry suspicious of that move given Matt Williams' Giants ties and I'm only partially joking about that.
ReplyDeleteBiggest waste of time of my life. And that includes every second of calculus that I took in college.